Cam Newton is easy to root against

Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) runs the ball during the fourth quarter against the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC Championship football game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports(Photo: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Spor)

Wednesday afternoon Cam Newton made a fool of himself, laughing off a question from a female reporter during his regular media availability period.

Jourdan Rodrigue of the Charolette Observer asked Newton about receiver Devin Funchess running strong routes to which Newton replied it was 'funny' to hear a female reporter ask that type of question.

There was nothing funny about the legitimate question nor his reaction.

It's just another in a long line of reasons why Newton is so easy to root against on Sundays.

During Super Bowl 50 played in Santa Clara between the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos the choice as was clear then as it is now.

As neither of those teams is the Green Bay Packers, some rooting interests were up for grabs among fans still upset about an overtime loss in Arizona by the Green and Gold that season.

Both teams featured quarterbacks that had their fair share of controversy in Newton and Peyton Manning.

Manning’s wife allegedly purchased HGH from an Indianapolis-based clinic while most of Newton’s recent transgressions have occurred on the field of play, or close to it.

The most notable recent Newton moment, prior to Wednesday, came during the Packers’ Nov. 8, 2015, visit to Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Newton removed a pro-Packers sign from Wisconsin native and army veteran Mike Dobs, who said he paid $500 to have it made.

After originally being told Newton destroyed the sign, Dobs contacted the police to resolve the matter. Newton later said he’d get in contact with Dobs to make it right.

The situation resolved itself, but it begs the question, why is Newton worrying about a sign in the first place before playing a Packers team that was 6-1?

Did Newton really think a sign that said “North Carolina Cheesehead” in the front row was going to distract him that bad?

The banner brouhaha may seem like a silly story in the scope of a season, but it’s just one of several examples of Newton’s misplaced priorities.

Newton first began to have problems when he was enrolled at Florida from 2007 to 2008. He was arrested for purchasing a stolen computer in 2008 and was the subject of an alleged academic scandal in which he was said to have cheated on three different occasions as a member of the Gators.

In the spring of 2009, Newton enrolled at Blinn College in Texas, a junior college where he played before eventually playing for and winning a national championship at Auburn.

The NCAA investigated Newton’s recruitment to Auburn, and while they found Newton’s father, Cecil, had tried to secure money from representatives from Mississippi State, Newton was first suspended and then re-instated the next day.

It might not be fair to hold Newton accountable for the sins of his father, but it cast a negative light on the eventual Heisman Trophy winner and first overall pick in the NFL Draft.

After a quiet few years in the league, Newton began to fulfill his potential this season and is an MVP favorite.

With the improved on-field performance came a new celebration where Newton "dabs" with all the gusto of a member of a Broadway musical. This is in addition to his standard of pretending to rip open his jersey to reveal a Superman costume, as he’s done since his rookie year.

It’s those celebrations that have made Newton the focus of derision among NFL players such as Titans linebacker Avery Williamson and former Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher.

Urlacher told USA Today recently he wished Newton would act more like Peyton Manning, who simply hands the ball to the referee and shakes his teammates' hands as opposed to the over-the-top antics Newton prefers.

Whether fair or not, players don’t have as big of a problem with other players' celebrations, most notably Aaron Rodgers' mimicking a title belt.

Some Newton supporters claim there is a racial component to his discrepancy, yet it could also be from the perceived arrogance Newton has been labeled with since his time at Auburn. When Rodgers flashes the title belt, it’s not seen as a slap in the opponent's face the same way Newton’s dab is, right or wrong.

Despite all the negatives, Newton has done some noble things, such as making a habit of giving game balls to children in the stands as well as a multitude of charitable efforts.

I’m in no way saying Newton is a bad player or person — everyone has their faults. It’s possible to dislike and respect a player at the same time.

It’s just that when big games roll around for neutral fans, there’s plenty of reason to cheer against Newton.